1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to orthotics and in particular to support of ruptured muscles, related tendons and joints with webbing-bound garments or parts of garments for specific orthotic support.
2. Relation To Prior Art
Torn or ruptured muscles from sports, exercising, work or accidents are wrapped with webbing for professional orthotic support. Specifically injured portions of particular muscles, tendons and joints are not supported with sufficient precision and accuracy to maximize benefit of orthotic support by wrapping general areas, however. Tear of an upper-leg muscle, for instance, is a frequent rupture that is not supported adequately by general-area wrapping with webbing. Instead of general-area wrapping, this type of rupture and most others also require precision support of ruptured portions and then progressively general wrapping for body protection in appropriate directions of support.
There are no known garment-related orthotic supports that are adaptive to support particular injuries in a manner taught by this invention.
Examples of different but related orthotic supports are described in the following patent documents. U.S. Pat. No. 5,628,725, issued to Ostergard, is limited to a method for using a chest garment with an arm portion and an elastic strap under the axilla of an injured shoulder of an athlete.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,358,470, issued to Johnson, is limited to a shoulder-restricting harness that was attached to a front and a back of an elastic belt.
Problems with treating ruptured muscles, tendons and joints efficiently, expeditiously, conveniently and inexpensively continue to exist, however.